The Procedural
by KESwriter
Summary: The Doctor and Clara investigate a dark mass in the universe where nothing but horrible things happen to the occupants. To save them, they must defend it's existence to forces that wish to see it erased from the universe.
1. Chapter 1

Inspired partially by that lovely Buzzfeed article and my own personal frustrations. This is… a hot mess of a story. What If is still alive. I just like to write my way out of things.

The Procedural

Chapter One:

"Don't even think about it," Clara said as a student picked up handful of chips.

"But he called me mum a fat cow," he said.

"I'll be having words with Trevor," she said. "Now go back to eating."

He just nodded and picked up a single chip to eat.

Clara was about to interrupt a card game when she saw the Doctor enter. She approached him.

"I'm on monitor duty," she said.

"And you can be back on monitor duty in two minutes," he said. "First we need to investigate a mysterious black mass in the universe."

"What's so special about it?" she asked.

"Several spacecraft that have encountered it have recorded feelings of intense sadness afterwards. Now come on."

Clara could have argued that her school duties were more important but she knew that would not work on him. She could have taken a stand and refused, but the truth was life was boring without the doctor trying put her life in peril in the middle of duties such as this. She followed him to her classroom where he kept the TARDIS.

She entered after him and he spun a few nobs and pulled a lever. It shifted slightly indicating they were traveling.

"So, what do you think it is?" she asked.

"It has to be powerful," the Doctor said looking at a screen. "Twenty ships have encountered it and have felt sadness, fear, and frustration."

Clara looked at the screen. It resembled a small throbbing smudge on the screen in a sea of stars.

"Shall we try to land on it?" the Doctor asked.

Her initial response might have been no, but after facing down legions of deadly aliens and monsters, she merely asked:

"Do you think the TARDIS will let us?"

"We can try," he said and pressed a few buttons and pulled a lever.

"This is interesting," he said. "It has layers of atmosphere made up of light and sensory quantum variations."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning were going through a reality shift before we land on the surface. Hold on."

She did as instructed and suddenly she wasn't in the TARDIS anymore.

…

A man was being beaten in what looked like a jail cell. His mouth was covered so he couldn't scream. But Clara could.

"Stop it!" she screamed. "You're hurting him!"

They paid no attention to her.

She rushed towards the man doing the hitting. "Stop it!"

Clara merely passed through them like a ghost. The energy shifted and she was in a new place.

The same man was lying on the ground with a neck injury. "FBI" was printed across his vest.

A woman applying pressure to the wound.

"Ethan just open your eyes," she pleaded.

"How can I help?" Clara asked.

The woman just cried.

Clara suddenly felt her self being pulled down through the ground. She remained calm.

A woman was holding a gun to her head with a woman nestled right beside her. The same man, "Ethan" was holding an injury to his arm as tears streamed down his face.

"You don't have to do this," he said.

The woman pulled the trigger and both fell to the ground as blood spilled from their bodies.

Ethan began to sob. Clara tried to hug him but instead walked through him.

She ended up in an ambulance where he was in a gown, looking horribly pale and coughing up blood into a bag.

Clara couldn't take it anymore. Too much sadness. Too many horrors. No man could survive all this. What in space was this?

"DOCTOR!" she screamed. "DOCTOR!"


	2. Chapter 2

The reaction should be interesting.

Chapter Two:

"CLARA!" his voice echoed through the ambulance car.

"DOCTOR!" she cried out in relief.

"Follow the memories," he said. "Dive deeper."

"Do I have to?" she choked out.

"I'll be waiting for you!" he said.

"Okay," she said taking deep breath.

She looked into the haunted eyes of Ethan. She noticed the name written on the chart above him was "Spencer." It was such a sad sight. She tried to wipe a strand of hair away and fell forward.

Clara screamed at the sight of what she saw next. He was tied to a chair with a camera aimed at him. A man was pumping him with drugs.

"Damn you!" she screamed at the man. "Damn this bloody place. What kind of tormented Hell is this!? Stop hurting him, you horrible twat!"

She aimed her fist at him and suddenly fell on all fours on to a hard surface.

"Clara," the Doctor said.

He was kneeling beside her. She immediately hugged him.

"I don't care how you feel about hugging," she said. "This one is for me."

"Fine," he said.

"Where are we?" she asked looking around. They appeared to be in the hallway of some sort of office building.

"The core of this mass," he said.

"Doctor what did you see?"

"A saw a man in a suit shot at, survive an exploding a car, beat the murderer of his wife to death, and him stabbed and violated with a knife until he nearly died. You?"

"Something similar," she said. "This place is full of horrors."

"Excuse me," a voice said.

They turned around to see a group of people staring at them. The one she recognized as Spencer was hugging an older woman to his side. He looked like he hadn't slept much recently.

"Who are you?" the woman with dark hair said.

Clara began to connect dots from what she'd seen. The FBI letters printed on Spencer's vest.

"We're law enforcement agents," Clara said quickly getting up. "I'm Agent Oswald and this is agent- he likes to be called the Doctor."

"Yes," the Doctor said quickly pulling out his psychic paper. "Here are my credentials."

She examined it. "This is just a blank piece of paper."

"That's odd," the Doctor said. "That usually works."

"How did you get in here?" a man with graying dark hair asked.

"Interesting question," the Doctor said and pulled out his sonic screwdriver.

Suddenly several guns were aimed at him.

"It is a tool, not a weapon," he said impatiently.

"Put the device down slowly on the floor in front of you," the dark-haired woman said.

"We mean you no harm," Clara said.

"Put it down," she said.

With a gruff sigh, the doctor complied.

"Walker," she said. "Put them in them in an interrogation room and watch them, we still have other things to do tonight."

A man with dark skin stepped forward.

"Come on," he said calmly. "Let's do this the easy way."

"The easy way would be to give some answers and we'll be on our way," the Doctor said.

The woman with dark hair turn her attention to Spencer.

"We have a place and a driver ready, why don't you take your mom down?"

"Gladly," he said.

As Clara and the Doctor walked with the man in the opposite direction, there was some grunts of frustration.

"The elevator won't open," another man said.

The building shook suddenly. It almost felt like an earthquake but they were also shaking from side to side. Clara and the Doctor reached for each other. After about a minute, it stopped.

"Everybody alright?" the dark-haired woman shouted.

People were starting to nod in agreement when the elevator burst open with a smashing sound. Clara the Doctor turned around to see what looked like two rhinos in orange space suits appear.

"Inhabitants of sector delta forty-two forty-two," one of them said. "Your presence has caused an extreme disturbance in galaxy and therefore you must be eradicated."

They pulled two large guns and aimed it at the group.

"Prepared for your demise three, two—"

The Doctor ran in front of them.

"I'm the Doctor. No one goes about ending life so long as I'm around to protect it."

"You have no reason to intervene in the matter Doctor," one of them said.

"I have reasons to protect it."

"They are a source of negative energy that harms all that intercept it. There is no reason for protection," the other said.

"But these are people," Clara spoke up. "Any harm they cause is not intentional."

"They are not people," the leader said. "Merely sources of dark energy. Step aside."

They lit up their weapons.

"Wait!" the Doctor said. "You're Alpha Judoon aren't you? I demand a trial for these beings as their solicitor."

"You'll risk your life to protect this object?" the leader said.

"I've risked it on less," he said.

"You have three hours to prepare your case. We'll be back then."

The Alpha Judoon disappeared into the elevators with a crashing sound.

The group stared at Clara and the Doctor.

"Who are you?" the woman with dark hair said slowly.


	3. Chapter 3

I could use another review to see who is interested in this weird little story.

Chapter Three:

"It's simple really I'm the Doctor and this is Clara," he said. "Now who are you?"

"This is all real, isn't it?" the woman Spencer was holding said. "But it can't be real."

Then Clara saw it. The haunted look in his eyes.

"I don't know," he said.

"Oy!" the Doctor said. "This is real and this is really dangerous! The faster you come to that answer the better the odds I have of saving you lot."

"It could be Scratch," a blond-haired woman said. "Through the ventilation shafts."

The Doctor stared at Clara. Clara stared back.

"I don't think I can convince them either," she said.

"Where's the man in the suit?" he asked. "He looked like someone who took charge of things."

"How do you know about him?" the woman with dark hair said.

"I only tried to land my spaceship here and ended up gliding through his memories of being shot at, nearly stabbed to death, and blown up, almost like a bloody cartoon but real."

Then another man emerged.

"I got knocked out by the earthquake," he said. "What happened?"

"A pair of aliens threatened to destroy us and these two Brits claim they can save us," the man with dark graying hair said.

"But I think Scratch just sent me a text?" he said. "Why would he fill the building with a scopolamine when he wants to us to go to a trap?"

The Doctor rubbed his eyes.

"This is getting ridiculous. How can I save you lot when you don't realize the amount of danger you're in?"

"Who says we need saving?" a man of Hispanic descent said. "Maybe you're agents of Scratch perpetuating the hallucination?"

The guns that were aimed at the Alpha Judoon turned to their direction.

Clara raised her hands and sighed. "You know I've wondered if cybermen or daleks would be the end of me. I never thought it would be American law enforcement agents in the center of a dark mass."

The Doctor had raised his hands also. "I don't plan on dying today," he said and suddenly reached for something the in pocket.

He was body was riddled with bullets instantly. The Doctor collapsed on the ground. Clara cried.

"No!" she said and began to kneel beside him.

"Not another move Clara," the dark-haired woman said.

The Doctor began to move.

"Oh, so this is how Harkness must feel," he said getting up.

Clara slapped him. "That was foolish of you!"

"Dark energy can't harm you the same way regular energy can," he said. "It was a calculated risk."

"You know this is starting to seem a little absurd for what Scratch usually does," the man with graying dark hair said.

Clara checked her watch. "We're running out of time."

She turned to the group with their guns still drawn. "Look, I know if I was you lot a few years ago I would have reacted in almost the same way except without the guns. But believe me, we're trying to help you. My name is Clara Oswald. I'm a schoolteacher in England who travels with an alien who goes by the name of the Doctor. We travel through time and space exploring and trying to help people along the way. You are in grave danger. We need answers if can begin to help. We're not that 'Scratch' person. We're just two travelers. Please let us help you."

"How?" Spencer asked.

"Why do so many bad things happen to you?" she asked. "I saw you beaten in prison, shot at, a woman committing murder-suicide, you throwing up blood, and pumped with drugs while tied to a chair."

"You saw all that?" he said, shocked. Then a look of realization came across his face.

"Why do you keep using the words 'dark energy' instead of 'negative energy?'"

"Because everyone who encounters you feels sad and you seem really, really unlucky."

He began to do to the math in his mind. The dark-haired woman looked at him.

"You're starting to believe them?"

"I don't think we have a choice," he said. "We've wasted enough time arguing with them. Maybe if we make our case, whatever is causing this a hallucination or reality warp will break."

"Thank you!" Clara said.

"It's about time," the Doctor said. "Let's start sharing names and is there by any chance a pot of tea is on or do you Americans only drink coffee?"


	4. Chapter 4

Thanks for the reviews!

Chapter Four:

Tea and coffee was passed around as introductions were made in the conference room. Walker stayed with Diana in Prentiss' office to keep her calm. The Doctor scanned the conference room with his sonic screwdriver.

"This appears to be the main source of the dark energy," he said.

"So, if we set it on fire, maybe the energy will dissipate?" Clara said.

"Not likely," he said. "Things start here but they spread outward."

"It makes sense," Prentiss said. "This is where we review cases. The 'darkness' starts to build from here."

"So, you're profilers?" Clara said. "You go after human monsters and attract all sorts of darkness along the way."

"It's an occupational hazard," Rossi said.

"I believe what we are in Clara, is a procedural," the Doctor said pulled out the white board and markers. "A crime is committed, these agents abandon their personal problems to analyze the case, more crimes are committed as suspects are gathered, the agents become personally involved, sometimes without realizing it, and then apprehend the criminal who vows vengeance one way or another. Am I on to something Agent Prentiss?"

"It sounds about right," she said. "In a crude way."

"Have you encountered procedurals before, Doctor?" Clara asked.

"Not with law enforcement agents no, and never with this amount of dark energy."

"So, are you saying the criminals we catch alive who taunt us are the reason, we're attracting so much 'dark energy?'" Alvez asked.

"You're catching on," he said and paused. "What happened to the man in the suit?"

"He went into witness protection after Scratch showed up at his son's school," Prentiss said.

"I don't understand something," Garcia said. "Why did you see Hotch's worst memories while Clara saw Spencer's."

"Emotional attraction," the Doctor said. "I end up taking leadership positions so I can relate to this 'Hotch' person. Clara, I think might have a crush on Reid."

"Who has been suspiciously silent," Rossi said as Clara turned pink.

Reid looked lost in his thoughts. Sad ones it appeared.

"Guys, not many good things have happened lately," he said.

"Hey, I have a son," Morgan said.

"You were tortured so badly that you were out for six months," Reid said. "Your wife was also shot resulting in a C-section."

"I gave birth to your second godson," J.J. said.

"But you had a miscarriage before that was waterboarded and electrocuted two years ago," he said.

"I also found out I had a family I didn't know about," Rossi said.

"And your ex-wife asked you to help commit suicide because she couldn't stand living with her illness."

"I think I'm going to stop you now," Prentiss said. "Are suggesting we are a source of this 'dark energy?'"

"I am stating that I believe we are," he said.

"Reid, you've been through a lot tonight and just got out of jail," Lewis said. "You're not thinking straight."

He looked to Clara, "You're still shaking," he said.

"I am not," she said weakly.

"You saw some of my worst memories, but not all of them," he said. "I was shot in the leg and had to survive on non-narcotic pain pills. I had migraines that made me think I was developing schizophrenia like my mother. Going through only a sampling of my life's memories was Hell for you."

Clara didn't say anything. She tried to avoid his gaze to hide amount of pity she felt for him.

"Guys, if people can only see the memories of the worst times of our lives, no wonder they're sad. No wonder aliens want to get rid of us."

"Reid," Rossi said slowly. "You just got out of prison where you didn't sleep much. You really aren't thinking straight."

He stood up. "I'm turning myself over the Alpha Judoon."

Morgan stood up instantly and blocked the entrance. "I won't let you."

Reid sighed. "Morgan if they can charge through an elevator door, they can get through you."

"It's suicide, kid!"

"It means an end to sadness!" Reid said. "Maybe if I offer myself up—"

"They want all of us Spencer," Rossi said.

Spencer, looked to Clara. "I don't want other people see the pain I've been through. If it was my burden, alone I could handle it. But I don't want others to get hurt. I'm sorry guys but that is my choice."

Garcia stood up suddenly. "I'm going with him. Boy Wonder is right in a twisted way. If people are suffering because of our existence, then what choice do we have?"

"This is madness!" Rossi said. "I won't let either of you do this."

He looked to Clara and the Doctor. "Why aren't you trying to stop them?"

Clara looked to the Doctor. "What will happen to them?"

"Most likely their energy will be scattered through the cosmos," he said. "They won't be memories so much as random feelings of sadness."

J.J. burst into tears. "Stop them!"

Clara looked to the Doctor. She knew every twitch of his relatively new face. She had to keep quiet though as he nodded silently to her. He had a plan.


	5. Chapter 5

I hope you like this.

Chapter Five:

"You can't be serious baby-girl," Morgan said.

"I'm dead as in dead as spread across the cosmos dead, Derek," she said. "If we're producing so much sadness then, we shouldn't exist."

"This is insane," Alvez said. "Neither of you are going anywhere."

"Maybe they're not," J.J. said slowly. "What I've been through, I wouldn't wish on anyone. The more I think about it, the more I think," she shook her head. "No, I'm joining Spence and Penelope."

She stood and Reid hugged her. "It's for the best," he said.

"This is sickness," Alez said. "No, it's mob mentality. Right Lewis?"

Lewis shook her head. "Reid has gone through so much pain; no person should have to go through that. I'm calculating the odds. The benefits outweigh the negatives, I'm joining them."

She stood up and J.J. grabbed her hand.

Rossi looked to the Doctor. "Why aren't you saying anything!?"

"I'm letting them decide for themselves what they want," the Doctor said. "If they want to stop the pain, who am I to stop them?"

"I thought you were here to help us," Prentiss said angrily.

"I am," he said. "You believe you are humans, therefore you are entitled to free will. I'll honor your wishes."

"What about trying to save us?" Rossi said.

"I think this is how I save you," he said. "By giving you a chance to decide for yourselves how you want to exist in the universe."

Morgan stood up. "I'm not letting pretty-boy go alone then," he said. "Is this really what you want, kid?"

He nodded.

"I won't abandon you again," he said. He went over and hugged him.

"What about your son Morgan?" Rossi.

"If, Savanah still exists in some form, I know she'll look after him."

Rossi looked to Prentiss and shook his head. "Not you too."

"Someone has to lead them, David," she said as tears fell. "Hotch appointed me to be their leader. I'll lead them into the dark abyss if that is what they want."

She stood up. "It is not like I want anyone going through my past either anyway," she said.

She walked over and hugged J.J.

Alvez stood up. "I've been a soldier a long time. I'm willing to sacrifice life if it means others don't have to suffer, including my friends."

The Doctor stared at Rossi. "You know in your heart this is the right thing to do."

"There is no good decision in all of this," he said.

"Sometimes there aren't," the Doctor said. "Only less terrible ones."

He stood up slowly. "So, this is how everything ends."

"I'm sorry," Clara said.

"So am I," he said and walked past her.

"I think the decision is unanimous then," the Doctor said. "I'll summon the Alpha Judoon."

He went to window and opened it. The Doctor then pulled out his sonic screw driver and waved it.

"We're ready," he said.

The Alpha Judoon came crashing through the other window, leaving the table and some of the chairs in splinters.

"As solicitor, you have five minutes to state a case for their existence Doctor," the leader said.

"I won't need that long," he said. "They have chosen to die. I couldn't change their minds."

"You've chosen wisely," the leader said.

The team instantly grabbed hands. Clara and the Doctor got out of the way. Their weapons lit up and they fired.

In an instant, the team was lit up in a blaze of white light.

They kept firing for about thirty seconds, yet they remained standing.

The Alpha Judoon stared at each other.

"How is this possible?" the underling asked.

"It's called a silver lining," the Doctor said, his voice full of triumph. "They made a choice and formed a bond. They were willing to sacrifice their lives for the good of the universe. Few bonds are stronger than heroism. Whoever enters this space now will feel the sadness of their experiences, but also know that they don't wish this pain on others."

The Alpha Judoon stared at each other and then their equipment.

"The dark mass is contained," the leader said. "Our job is done."

As they left the way came in their place, the TARDIS appeared.

"That's our ride home," the Doctor said. "It was a pleasure getting to know you but, Clara has monitor duty to return to."

"Doctor," Clara said. "Can't we bring them with us?"

"They belong here, Clara," he said and turned to the group. "In your own way, you do good work here, in the darkness."

"Will we be safe?" Prentiss said. "From other aliens?"

"You will," he said.

"What about the bad memories others encounter?" Reid asked.

"Minimized by your love for each other and the desire to do good."

There was a pause where no one said anything. They just looked around, glad to be alive and together.

The Doctor grabbed Clara's hand. They silently entered the TARDIS.

He put in coordinates and prepared to leave.

"Doctor," Clara said. "Will they still keep developing sad thoughts and experiences in the dark mass?"

"Yes, because that is the nature of they're existence. But, and this is a big one, their shared bond will keep them strong. There's a silver lining to everything Clara, and theirs is the ability to cope."

"So, what now?" she asked.

He pulled lever. "Back to monitor duty."

She sighed. "Yes, but promise me you'll take me to the place where people have butterfly wings."

He groaned. "Fine."

"I could use some positive memories."

The TARDIS stopped moving and she left.

She thought of Spencer Reid and wondered how he was coping. He seemed so sweet and deserved none of the pain he endured and most likely continues to endure. She took solace in knowing that at least he had friends willing to sacrifice their lives for him and with him.

Clara entered the cafeteria and a clump of beans landed in her hair. She thought of turning around to hunt down the Doctor, but then stopped. There were worse experiences to endure.

THE END


End file.
